Sanding belt block



United States Patent SANDING BELT BLOCK Manuel L. Mendelsohn, West Newton, Mass. Application August 19, 1955, Serial No. 529,477 1 Claim. (Cl. 51--'186) The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in manually usable appliances for sanding work surfaces and which are quite commonly referred to in the art elsewhere as sanding blocks, and which, more specifically, appertain to a block made up of sections or components to accommodate an endless sanding belt, means being provided between the sections whereby they may be separated or wedged apart so as to require the belt to fit tightly on the then expanded block and to provide an over-all effective and ready-to-use sanding device.

Typical prior art examples might be referred to as that shown in the Oscar Stucker Patent 2,531,588 of November 28, 1950, and, similarly Teofil L. Bonkowski, Patent 2,493,852 of January 10, 1950. There are others, of course, which might be referred to, but these represent satisfactory examples of expansible and contractible blocks with endless sanding belts.

An object of the instant invention is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon similarly constructed and performing prior art adaptations and, in doing so, to provide an adequate construction in which manufacturers will find eir manufacturing requirements taken into account and satisfied, and the users will find their expected and everyday needs appropriately considered and likewise satisfactorily met.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, a pair of substantially duplicate wooden or equivalent sections are provided, and these go together in end-to-end relation and make up a twin section block. The sections are provided with centrally disposed aligned sockets to accommodate end portions of a single coil spring which bridges the space, if any, between the cooperating ends of the sections. The sections are also further socketed to accommodate a pair of spaced parallel dowels with the dowels slotted to accommodate a crosspin which holds the dowels in place.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ready-to-use beltequipped sanding block or device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view with the sanding belt removed;

Figure 3 is a section on the smaller scale taken on the lengthwise line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a View which may be said to be taken somewhat on the same line, but at right angles, and which is identified as the line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 5 is a view on the vertical line 5-5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawingswith reference numerals, the two wooden or equivalent sections of the over-all block are denoted by the numerals 6 and 7. Actually these are in themselves blocks and may be so treated. The outer end portions are convex or rounded oif, as at 8. The inner opposed ends are flat and in parallel relationship, as at it). The lengthwise or marginal edge portions are suitably grooved, as at 12, to facilitate the requirement of the user in effectually catching hold of the blocks, either singly or collectively. The adjacent end portions 1'0 of the blocks or sections have what may be described as axial sockets 14 and 15 therein to accommodate a single coil expansion spring 16, the tendency of which is to force the blocks apart in coplanar relationship. In order to maintain this stable coplanar relationship, the blocks are also provided with aligned outer spaced parallel pairs of sockets, denoted by the numerals 17 and 13. These sockets are properly lined up, as illustrated in Figure 3 in particular, and they serve to accommodate the end portions of the dowels or dowel pins 20 which are fitted into the same in the manner shown. The dowels actually bridge the space between the blocks 6 and 7 and therefore, by having central axial sockets with spring means therein and outer dowel pin-equipped sockets on opposite sides of the center socket, a reliable and steady construction is had. To add further to the over-all efficiency of the device, it will be noticed that the dowels are provided at corresponding or like ends with slots 22 which are anchored on a retaining pin 24' which is, in effect, a smailer dowel and is at right angles to the longer dowels and is suitably fastened in a bore 26 provided therefor, as brought out in Figure 3. The endless abrasive or sanding belt is denoted by the numeral 28, and it fits over the spring pressed interconnected blocks, in the obvious manner shown.

Repeating somewhat, the invention is a sanding belt block and holds an abrasive belt for general sanding purposes in the manner shown and described. The length of the block is expanded by a compression spring incorporated in the two sections or blocks with the latter held together by 2 /2" dowels. When the spring is extended, it allows between the two blocks, so that when it is compressed, the belt slips over the block or blocks with ease. Then, the pressure of the spring extends the belts to a firm fit, as is obvious. Using this device, one can rub down a surface 3 x 11 /2" with ease. He can also joint and edge with accuracy. It is possible to buy a belt 3" wide, so that it is therefore easy to comply with the requirements of the invention.

More explicitly, the overall block is constructed of two wooden blocks 3 wide and 5 /2 long and 1%" thick. One end of each block is rounded. There is a. 3%" x /2 compression spring thick. The dowels and the anchoring dowel pin are relatively in proportion.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A handy sanding device comprising a pair of substantially duplicate coplanar aligned blocks having rounded outer ends and flat opposed inner ends, said inner ends having aligned axially disposed sockets and a single coil spring fitted into the respective sockets, said inner ends being further provided with additional pairs of spaced parallel outwardly disposed sockets, and dowel pins fitted into the last named sockets and bridging the space between the adjacent ends of said blocks, said dowel pins being provided at like endswith elongated slots, and a smaller dowel fitted transversely across one of said blocks and secured therein and passing through the respective slots and thus serving to securely anchor the dowels in 10 place.

References Cited in the file of this patent Stucker FOREIGN PATENTS Norway Nov. 28, 1950 Sept. 24, 1942 

